Nightmares
by Adina Mizu
Summary: In which Gamzee has a nightmare and his best bro helps him out.


Characters of Andrew Hussie.

This story was the first I ever did with these two. Sorry if the slip out of character.

Gamzee sat alone in his respite block staring at nothing at the end of the bed which replaced the recuperacoons from their home planet. He'd been sitting there for hours already, just sitting and listening to the deathly silence of the early morning. No one was awake yet and everything was still. He hated it, the stillness. It was the same stillness that plagued his sleep, haunted his dreams. Everything still, everything silent. But no, not everything was quiet. There was the laughter, the deranged laughter and the honking. Sharp and warped and echoing in the silence. It was a metallic sound and it scared him. The images from his dreams were grotesque and disturbing; the faces and bodies of his friends pulled and torn in all directions. Sometimes they had heads and sometimes not, but they always had the whispering voices. Silent but loud, accusing and fearful. Fearful of the laughing. Laughing that he would become aware over the course of the dream was coming from him. Upon realizing this he would bolt awake in a cold sweat and sit on his bed until everyone else was awake. He would wait until he was sure all of them were awake.

The dreams had started a little over a week ago and he couldn't figure out why. He cared for his friends a good deal and would never think of hurting any of them. But these dreams, these horrible gore ridden dreams painted his mind with their blood and mutilated corpses. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. How much longer he'd be able to keep smiling when those images where seared into his mind. He could see them when he closed his eyes as if they were etched into his eyelids.

Gamzee jolted as he heard a sharp metallic sound echo in the hall. His heart beat sped up as it stopped outside his door. There was a soft knock at the door then followed by a most comforting sound.

"Uh, Gamzee? A-are you awake?" Tavros meek voice asked from the other side of the closed door.

Gamzee's heart slowed down as he let go of the breath he had been holding.

"Yea, Tav-bro, I'm awake." He replied after a moment, "Come on in if you want."

Tavros opened the door and wheeled himself in. It wasn't so odd to see the Taurus in the wheeled device anymore despite his new legs. With all the trouble Tavros still had with stairs Equius had decided to try and adjust the legs to be better fitted for them. However, the process was taxing and caused a deal of discomfort for the meek troll. Today seemed to be one of his not so good days as he was situated in his chair once more.

"Not feelin' too hot today, bro?" Gamzee asked as he made note of the chair.

"Just, uh, a little sore. Nothing too bad really." Tavros replied shyly, closing the door behind him.

"That's what got you all up so motherfuckin' early?" Gamzee asked as the Taurus made his way over, skillfully avoiding the horns scattered on the floor.

"No, uh, not really. I just...had trouble sleeping is all." Tavros replied coming to stop beside the other, "Why, uh, are you up so early? I've never seen you up this early before."

"Aw it's nothing." Gamzee lied; he didn't want to tell Tav about his dreams least he should think he was a monster or something.

"You sure look tired though. Are you sure you're okay?" Tavros asked as he saw the bags under his friend's eyes even through the makeup.

"I'm fine, bro. Now what can this motherfucker do you for today?" Gamzee asked leaning back and placing his usual smile on his face.

"Oh, uh, I was just thinking, maybe we could hangout or something. If you want." Tavros said nervously.

"That's cool, man. What do you want to all up and do?" Gamzee asked watching Tavros fidget in his chair.

"Well, uh, I don't really know. I don't want to wake anyone else up so we'd have to do something, uh, not noisy, I guess." Tavros replied looking down as he poked his forefingers together.

"Well, we could just motherfucking talk for a while." Gamzee offered since his friend had gone quiet.

"Yea, that would be nice, uh, I think." Tavros smiled which in turn made Gamzee's smile just a bit bigger.

He loved Tavros's smile, it was always so bright and shiny. He wanted to reach out a touch it sometimes, and on occasion he did which would make the smaller troll giggle his high pitched laugh. Soft and delicate, nothing like the heavy and rending laugh he heard in his sleep.

"Gamzee?" Tavros questioned, a concerned frown on his lips.

"Huh?" Gamzee had zoned out a bit and missed whatever had been said to him.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tavros asked leaning forward in his chair so as to close a bit of the distance between them.

"Yea, I just completely zoned out. Sorry, Tav-bro." Gamzee replied smoothly, he had a short attention span normally so this wasn't so out of the norm for him.

"Oh, okay." Tavros backed off a bit, though the look of concern didn't leave his face.

"You make it up those stairs yet?" Gamzee asked the other troll tilting his head a bit.

"No, not yet. But Equius thinks I might be able to soon. I can't wait." Tavros said with great enthusiasm and an exited clap of his hands, "Once I master the stairs I'll be able to do just about anything."

Gamzee sat and listened as Tavros chatted excitedly about all the things he would do once his legs were able to handle stairs again. The taller troll smiled contently, not saying a word but nodding and grinning as the other named all the activities the two of them would be able to do together as well. It didn't take long before he had nodded off to sleep in his sitting position, weaving unsteadily. Tavros, seeing his best friend had fallen asleep so suddenly, smiled at how peaceful the other looked. Not wanting him to topple over in his sleep Tavros carefully pulled the taller troll over so that he was laying down, his head in the Taurus's lap. He knew Gamzee had been tired and was glad to see him getting some much needed rest. He may not be the smartest troll, but he knew when his best bro was not at his best.

He brushed the long tendrils of hair from Gamzee's face and watched him as he slept. The reason Tavros had gotten up so early in the first place was to check on Gamzee. He hadn't really expected the other to be awake at such a time, but it would have made him feel weird to have entered without at least knocking. When he heard Gamzee answer him his heart had jumped a little. Though he wasn't really sure what he would have done if the other hadn't answered. All Tavros knew was that Gamzee had been acting oddly lately and he was getting worried. He thought if he could just figure out what was the matter he might be able to help somehow, though it became clear Gamzee had not wanted to talk about it. Tavros didn't want to pressure him into talking about it, but he really wanted to know what it was and if he could, in fact, help.

Sighing heavily Tavros ran a hand through the others long dark hair thinking of anything he could possibly do. Gamzee fidgeted slightly and a frown formed on his lips. His brow knit in discomfort and his breathing became tensed. Tavros frowned as his friend seemed to be having a nightmare. He hated nightmares and hated even more the thought of Gamzee having one.

"Shoosh, Gamzee. It's okay." He whispered to the other troll as he pat his shoulder comfortingly.

Gamzee's body tensed up and he shifted, curling into himself. Tavros could think of nothing more he could do beside wipe the sweat that began to form on the others brow. Shifting again Gamzee uncurled and attempted to roll over, but managed only to roll onto his back. His face was now upwards in Tavros's lap and the Taurus could see clearly the look of fear that rested there. His heart tightened at the thought of Gamzee suffering so in his sleep, of him being so afraid. He shook the troll's shoulders to wake him, unable to let him linger in such a dream. Gamzee's eyes shot open as he bolted awake with a fearful scream. He sat panting as his heart slowed from its frantic beating.

"Gamzee?" Tavros asked meekly, holding his arm.

Gamzee's heart skipped a beat as he turned around to see Tavros at the end of his bed. He didn't remember falling asleep and was at a loss for how to explain whatever the other had seen. He could see the fright that lay in Tavros's eyes and it hit him hard. He didn't want his best bro to be afraid of him. As his eyes lingered on the other Gamzee's eyes fell to the arm that the Taurus was currently cradling. A trail of brown viscous fluid was leaking down to his elbow and starting to drip onto his pant leg.

"Shit, Tav, you okay, bro?" Gamzee turned around and looked for something to wipe the blood away with.

"Uh, yea. You just jumped up so quickly there, it, uh, startled me a bit." Tavros said as he watched the others frantic movements, the look on his face still fearful.

Finding a clean shirt Gamzee turned back to the small troll and gently took his arm and started to wipe it clean. Looking closely at the gash and letting what Tavros had said sink in Gamzee stopped.

"Did, did I do that to your arm Tav?" He asked, his voice hesitant.

"Uh, sort of. When you jumped up your, uh, horn scraped my arm." Tavros nodded.

Gamzee dropped the towel and recoiled from the other, sitting back on his bed and wrapping his arms around his knees. His eyes grew dark and his jaw trembled.

"Gamzee?" Tavros asked with concern.

"Shit, I am so motherfuckin' sorry man. I-" Gamzee's voice caught as he started rocking, burying his face in his knees.

"Gamzee, it was just an accident." Tavros tried to reassure his friend, "Really, it doesn't even hurt that much."

Gamzee ran a hand up into his long hair and gripped it tight as he rocked. Struggled sobs escaped his throat as he broke down. The lack of sleep and the fear of the nightmares shattering his mind. Tavros reached out to comfort him but Gamzee recoiled from his hand with a jolt. His body shook from the force of his sobs, his tears stinging his eyes as they spilled out. Tavros watched in confusion and alarm at the episode taking place before him. He had never witnessed Gamzee cry before and it scared him.

"Gamzee, Please." Tavros tried again to place a hand on his friend's shoulder, only to have the other pull away again.

Gamzee was terrified and angry, angry with himself. He had hurt Tavros, had drawn blood. It was a small injury maybe, but it didn't change the fact that he had hurt his best bro. Just like his dream. Brown streams leaked down walls and dripped into pools on the floor. It was smeared all over hands, at first disembodied hands, then his. His hands. The laughing was everywhere, it was coming from him. He was laughing as he painted the walls brown. He couldn't handle it anymore. The painting, the laughing, everything. He just couldn't do it anymore.

Tavros looked on a moment longer before deciding on what to do. Gripping the arms of his chair tightly he pulled himself onto his feet. It hurt a bit, but his best bro needed him. With careful steps Tavros walked to the side of the bed and sat down, pulling Gamzee into a tight hug. Gamzee's body tensed and his breath hitched.

"It's alright Gamzee." Tavros said softly, "Everything is going to be alright."

Gamzee's heart tightened as Tavros shooshed him softly, rocking him in the embrace. Gamzee twisted around to wrap his arms around Tavros, sobbing now into his shoulder. Tavros hugged him tight and continued to rock gently.

"I'm here for you Gamzee. You don't have to worry." He cooed softly.

Even after Gamzee had stopped crying the Taurus kept a tight hold on the taller troll, rocking him and petting his hair. Gamzee lay slumped against the small trolls chest, eyes puffy and irritated from the tears that were only just starting to dry on his cheeks. Tavros's arms felt so warm and safe he never wanted them to leave. He didn't want this feeling to go away. It was the first time he had felt so safe in a long time.

"Gamzee?" Tavros asked, his voice little more than a whisper, "Are you feeling okay now?"

"Yea, man." Gamzee answered hoarsely, "I'm feelin' loads better thanks to you, bro."

"I'm glad." Tavros said, his smile showing through his words, "I'm glad that I could help you, Gamzee."

"You always be helpin' me, bro. Just by bein' my motherfuckin' friend." Gamzee stated, squeezing the other a bit as he spoke.

"I'll always be your friend, Gamzee." Tavros assured him, looking down with a delicate smile, "And I'll always be here for you."

"Like a motherfucking miracle." Gamzee breathed, a smile crossing his face as he heard Tavros giggle with embarrassment, "My motherfucking little miracle."

**END**


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